Rejection
by Sesshy's Lil Angel
Summary: -ONESHOT- You promised yourself; But to somebody else; And you made it so perfectly clear; Still I wish you were here - Zutara Maiko Kataang


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hey. :)

this is my first avatar fic and umm.. well i came up with it on the spot.. tell me what you think..

this is what i would like to think REALLY conspired between katara and zuko during the last episode :)

anyways... tell me what you think. :)

**All Standard Disclaimers Apply: **i don't own avatar or anything related to avatar--just this story--well some parts :P ( the words are the exact same as the show :P )

_Lyrics by Britney Spears_

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Rejection

_"Never look back," we said  
How was I to know I'd miss you so?  
Loneliness up ahead, emptiness behind  
Where do I go?_

"NOOO!!"

Her eyes widened in horror as he leapt in front of her; taking the deadly bolt of lightning that was aimed at her. "Zuko!" she ran forward only to be cut off by a bolt of lightning.

A maniacal laugh cut through the air and Katara watched Azula stumble forward as if drunk with power.

Zuko grunted and shifted uncomfortably; Katara gasped and began racing toward him, her hands already submerging themselves in healing water. She found herself interrupted again by Azula's vicious attacks.

Laughing dementedly, Azula fired bolt after bolt of lightning and the waterbender, oblivious to her brother's obvious pain.

Zuko watched helplessly as his sister leapt onto a roof and directed more lightning at his comrade. Horror-struck, Zuko stared hoping with all his heart that she would be okay; he'd sworn to protect her. She couldn't get hurt; that was the whole reason he'd agreed to the Agni Kai in the first place; to ensure her safety.

"I'd really rather our family physician took after little Zuzu if you don't mind."

Katara's eyes clamped shut at she huddled behind a thick pillar; this was getting ridiculous; she had to stop this lunatic before someone else got hurt. The attacks stopped; if only momentarily and Katara peered around the pillar at the sound of a shrill voice.

"Zuzu, you don't look so good."

Azula was staring triumphantly at the figure of her brother lying in the midst of small fires unable to move when she spotted a flash of blue behind a supporting column. _'There you are.' _She fired lightning at the spot and spotted the peasant run from behind the pillar.

Eyes set with determination, Katara stepped out from behind the post and bended water from a raised container toward her in a stream of swirling liquid. Moving her body accordingly the young waterbender redirected the water around to where she'd last seen the Fire Nation Princess.

She wasn't surprised when the said appeared behind her with lightning ready to use. Katara froze water over in a curved wave and slid along it; using it to escape her attacker.

Sure enough, lightning blew apart the ice behind Katara. Gulping, Katara continued across the battlefield.

A wall of lightning followed her and desperately, Katara bended the ice off to the side and collapsed onto the ground. "Ugh!"

In the process of getting up, Katara noticed wide vents under which there was a steady stream of water; an idea forming in her head, she looked around for something else to use. Her eyes narrowed on a chain hanging loosely from a door handle. _'Perfect.' _

Katara stood and waited for Azula who as expected showed up fuming.

"There you are filthy _peasant_!" she growled.

Katara matched the girl's scowl with one of her own. Not waiting anymore, Katara bent thin streams of water at the princess who dove out of the way just in time.

Azula rolled and stood up on the vents, immediately getting back into her fighting stance.

Eyes wide Katara jumped back and brought along a burst of water, freezing both girls in place. Not a second too late either; Azula's lightning-producing fingers were directly in front of Katara's face.

Breathing deeply, Katara unfroze herself and raising the chain, gathered Azula's hands together and tied them to the metal mesh of the vent. After she was sure that the chains were secure, she bent all the water back into the vents.

Both girls coughed and Katara tightened the chains further.

Looking up, Katara noticed Zuko; he hadn't moved from where he'd fell. Ignoring Azula's glare, she ran toward the fallen prince.

'_Please by okay. Please by okay. Please by okay.' _She chanted over and over in her head.

She knelt down beside Zuko and carefully turned him over. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she held his head lovingly before setting it down gently. She gave him a desperate look and murmured, "Zuko…"

He grunted in pain and his eyes closed, willing the pain away.

Frantically, Katara enveloped her hands in cool water and began working on healing his wound. Offhandedly, she noticed his taut skin stretched over defined muscles. The waterbender worked quickly mending the prince's broken body.

Zuko grit his teeth against the pain and didn't make a sound; pain reverberating through his body. A single thought managed to bring him peace of mind; _'She's okay…' _The pain in his abdomen eased and he opened his eyes to find Katara leaning over him with a worried expression on her face.

"Zuko! You're okay!" Katara smiled warmly and closed her eyes gratefully.

Zuko smiled up at her and noted the blush that had crept over her brown cheeks.

"Thank you Katara."

"I think I'm the one that should be thanking you," she murmured, tears of happiness and relief rolled down her cheeks and landed softly on his bare chest. She looked down at his face; he was watching her silently with a thoughtful expression on his face. She smiled and helped him stand up.

Zuko placed an arm around Katara's shoulder and leaned on her for support. Looking down at her, he carefully wiped away her tears; "It's all over now."

Katara smiled up at Prince Zuko; suddenly she was very aware of the fact that his chest was bare and pressed right against her. She blushed slightly when he smirked back at her; that irresistible smirk of his that she'd always loved.

A growl interrupted the couple and they looked up at a hysterical Azula, struggling against her binds. She screamed and cried, spitting rays of lightning everywhere.

Zuko and Katara looked at each other and then solemnly stared back at the bawling princess.

'_Pathetic,' _Zuko thought, '_I can't believe that she ever expected to become Fire Lord.' _

Together Zuko and Katara found a bench and sat down; now all they could do is wait; wait and see who won the war.

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Hours later, Zuko and Katara still sat on the bench. Zuko however was lying down on it with his head resting on Katara's lap; he was sound asleep.

Katara glanced at Azula's limp figure, she'd stopped thrashing a while ago and was now sitting cross-legged with all the dignity she could muster glaring daggers at the couple. Katara smirked triumphantly at her and looked back down at Zuko. He looked so peaceful… so attractive as he slept. Her fingers lightly traced his jaw, his hairline, his lips…

A rosy blush warmed Katara's cheeks; she hadn't realized when she'd started liking him. She supposed it was back when the two of them were imprisoned in the Crystal Catacombs under the sprawling city of Ba Sing Se. She remembered feeling her heart speed up at their proximity. She also remembered her heart breaking when Zuko decided to join his sister; she'd been upset for days after that.

When he'd come crawling back, despite her rude behaviour toward him, a little part of her had been relieved that he'd come. When he helped her find the man who'd killed her mother, she'd forgotten that he'd ever betrayed her trust. Since then, her feelings had only grown for him. The play they'd watched recently had displayed them professing their love in the catacombs and her heart had raced a thousand times its normal speed. It might've not actually happened the exact same way shown in the play; but it wasn't far off; she did see Aang as a brother.

A blush coloured her face; now, after he'd saved her life, she only loved him more.

'_Wait a second! Love? I can't love him! He's the enemy—' _Katara cut herself off, that'd been her old excuse—when he _had_ been the enemy; now, she wasn't so sure there _was_ an excuse that she could use to hold her emotions in check.

Katara's fingers ran through his thick black hair; it was soft and silky.

'_What's happening to me? I can't be with him… I promised Aang… and I can't stay in the Fire Nation, I'm expected back home…' _Katara felt her heart sinking, that was right—she was needed back home.

Her downcast eyes trained themselves on Zuko's serene features. Her blue orbs trailed down to look at his wound—it was an angry red even after her healing session. She touched it gently and gasped when he caught her wrist.

Her eyes flew to his face; clear golden eyes were watching her. Colour rose to her cheeks and her gaze shifted. "I… sorry."

Zuko smiled at her embarrassment. Then the amusement slipped off his face, "The comet is gone now. The victors will be here shortly." He sat up.

'_Aang…' _

"Katara…"

Katara gulped, it was now or never, she had to tell him. "Zuko…" she gazed into his eyes, "Zuko, I've realized… while you were asleep that…" _'Come on Katara! You can do it!' _"I…" She trailed off; was she really ready to be rejected by the first guy she really liked? Sure she'd liked Jet, but he'd turned out to a maniac who targeted innocent people and Haru was just a friend. Katara blushed and looked away, unable to continue.

Zuko looked down, _'I don't want to do this… but I don't have a choice… I'm sorry Katara.' _Zuko closed his eyes, unwilling to hurt her more, "Katara… this can't happen… as much as I want it to…" he paused and touched her cheek softly with his fingertips, "it can't," he said softly.

Katara stiffened and she could feel her heart shatter. She looked up at him tearfully, unable to speak.

He answered her unspoken question, "My people will never accept you Katara… maybe in a few years, but not now… they won't accept a waterbender so soon after the war." _'And also, there's_ _Mai… I still love_ _her…'_ He added in his head, he didn't want to hurt her further by saying that aloud. _'Do you Zuko? Do you really still love Mai?' _a voice whispered inside his head. He shut it out, he'd promised the avatar that he'd return Katara to him; he'd promised him that she would be his, and he was a man of his word, he wouldn't keep Katara to himself after promising her to the man that would help him rebuild his nation.

Tears immediately surged from Katara's eyes.

Zuko felt his heart plunge, he hated seeing her in pain; especially since it was caused by him. He wanted so badly to kiss and reassure her, but that wouldn't do. The politics of war and his promise to Aang wouldn't allow them to be together.

A large figure appeared on the horizon; it was Appa; they'd won the war.

"Please Katara, forget about me… I'm not good enough for you. Please…" Zuko trailed off staring wistfully into her beautiful blue orbs.

Katara gazed at his golden eyes, they were sad, regretful… as if he hadn't been the one to make the decision that they couldn't be together.

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A girl draped in deep red strode past Katara in the Fire Palace. Katara did a double-take, it was Mai. The girl who'd fought against them with Azula. What was she doing here? Narrowing her eyes Katara followed her.

The girl went right up to Zuko and after exchanging a few words with him, sealed her lips against his. He didn't protest, instead, he deepened the kiss.

Katara was shocked, it was as if someone had stomped on the pieces of her broken heart, crushing them into a million tiny pieces, impossible to put back together. Katara ran from the palace, tears blinding her.

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Days later, Katara found herself on a balcony kissing the avatar. Inside, she longed for it to be Zuko staring back at her when she opened her eyes, but alas, it was not so and probably would never be so.

_You promised yourself  
But to somebody else  
And you made it so perfectly clear  
Still I wish you were here_

**The End**

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so?

how was it?

well.. please excuse any typos and feel free to ask questions :)

most of all -- please review and tell me wht you think of "MY" version of the ending :P

anyways.. thanks for your time :) :)

please review everyone! :) :)

it would mean a lot to me!

and who knows.. if this story is liked that much .. i might even be able to whip up a sequel ;)

or convert this from a oneshot to a fic ;)

but don't get your hopes up.. that depends completely on circumstances :)

xoxoxoxox

-lil angel

P.S. _review plz :) tell me what you think.. because I'm working on another fic (Avatar) and I need to know if my writing needs work. THANKS EVERYONE! :D _


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